Tunga penetrans (Chigoe flea / Jigger)

Natural Habitat

Sandy soil or dust in tropical and subtropical regions; often found in dry, shaded areas like livestock pens or rural dwellings.

Diet & Feeding

The adult female burrowed into the host's skin feeds on blood and tissue fluids from dermal capillaries.

Behavior Patterns

The female flea burrows into the host's skin (usually feet), swells significantly as it fills with eggs, and eventually releases hundreds of eggs through a small hole in the skin before dying and being sloughed off.

Risks & Benefits

Causes tungiasis, resulting in severe inflammation, pain, itching, and potential secondary bacterial infections like tetanus or gangrene. There are no known benefits to the host or ecosystem.

Identified on: 3/23/2026